Disney's Pinocchio vs Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: What makes the new rendition special?

A still from Guillermo del Toro
A still from Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (Image via Netflix)

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio has been the talk of the town since it premiered on Netflix on December 9, 2022, drawing in more extensive praise and acclaim. The director's take on Carlo Collodi's book of the same name from over a century ago was remarkably different from the one Disney made years ago.

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Since then, there have been many adaptations of the classic story, both in straightforward and immensely complicated ways, such as Speilberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence. However, none seemed as destined to work as this classic retelling in the author's personal style, which dealt with crude politics, a more serious setting, and mature emotions in an otherwise children's film.


How does Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio adaptation stand out from the original?

There could be many visual and narrative reasons that sets apart Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio from its other renditions. Needless to say, it also strongly comprises Collodi's tone and style, making a significant difference in the wooden boy's tale. Here are the major differences between the new del Toro film and the original Pinocchio by Disney.


The new dark setting

Apart from the immensely more creative animation style, the first thing viewers would notice is the tone and setting of the new Pinocchio film. Unlike the Disney counterpart, which was more lighthearted and bright, this new film has del Toro's signature all over the frames, be it thematically or visually.

The visually dark (almost horror-like) tone is complemented by the politically charged environment of Italy in the 1930s. Additionally, the design of the puppet, which looks more like a semi-formed monster, is also vastly different from Disney's.


The extended stories

If del Toro can do anything better than getting viewers unsettled, it is getting them emotional. With two additional sequences, one at the start and one at the end, del Toro carved out a perfect story that could tug hard at the heartstrings. Moreover, the slightly longer film manages to convey more emotions than the original film did.


The politics and relationships

Disney's Pinocchio focused more on the main character and his adventures. However, del Toro sought to subvert that with a take on Pinocchio and his father's relationship as the central crisis of the film. Not only did this make for great drama, but it also added layers of depth to the familiar story.

Moreover, the blatant commentary on a child's upbringing by the depiction of various adults trying to get him to do something that would benefit them independently raises important questions on parenting and expectations. This crisis is prevalent throughout Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, making the new rendition a more thought-provoking watch. In addition, the slight change in the climax also results in a more complete ending than the Disney rendition.

All in all, plenty of factors set Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio apart from the original film. If someone has failed to watch the Disney classic before Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio's release, then it may feel like a whole new film altogether.


Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is now streaming on Netflix.

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Edited by Priya Majumdar
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